Saturday, 12 December 2009

Lambeth Council has launched a textile and 'WEEE' (waste electrical and electronic equipment equipment) recycling service. Clothes, shoes and electricals can now be collected from the doorstep of kerbside properties, rather than residents having to make a trip to a local reuse and recycling centre. To use the service call 020 7926 9000.

Labour-led Lambeth's efforts to boost recycling compare favourably to neighbouring Lib Dem Southwark. Southwark only recycles 20.89% of its waste, compared to Lambeth's 25.51%. With new trials of food and green waste collection, and a focus on recycling on council estates, Lambeth's recycling rate looks set to rise further.

Environment Minister Hilary Benn visited a pioneering eco-friendly housing estate in Lambeth on Monday to hear first hand how local people are working with us to tackle climate change.

In the week that world leaders meet in Copenhagen to hammer out a deal on climate change, the minister was keen to stress that the efforts of local communities like those in Lambeth are just as important in helping to reduce CO2.

The minister visited the Ethelred Estate in Kennington to see one of the estate’s green roofs, which are surfaced with sedum plants. The green roof is covered in a type of sedum grass instead of traditional flat roof surfacing and attracts wildlife such as birds and insects. It also improves air quality and absorbs rain water, so has a role to play in reducing urban flooding.

The Ethelred Estate is the UK's largest green roof project and covers 10 buildings, with more than 4,000 square metres of roof space covered in sedum plants.

Lambeth secured special government funding for the project, which cost £716,000, and have completed further green roofs in nearby Stockwell and a 'biodiverse brown roof' in Clapham.The Ethelred roof project was a partnership between Lambeth Council and the Ethelred Tenant Management Organisation (TMO). Mr Benn met David Girdler, the Chair of the TMO, Councillor Lib Peck, Cabinet Member for and Housing and Regeneration on Lambeth Council, as well as our Environment Manager Jon Lissimore, local ward councillors and residents.

Mr Benn was also made an honorary Lambeth 'Green Community Champion'. Lambeth's Green Community Champions scheme is seeing hundreds of volunteers across the borough trained by the Council in sustainability issues, so they can help and inspire their neighbourhoods to be more environmentally sustainable.

Two officers are on duty during these times to respond to complaints about noise happening at the time. The contact telephone number during normal office hours is 020 7926 6111. The out-of-hours contact telephone number is 020 7926 5999.

When you call it's likely you will need to leave a message. The officer should call you back and arrange to visit your home, usually within the hour. They have to visit your home to assess whether the noise is causing a nuisance to you. They can then take enforcement action against the person causing the noise.

New rules have been agreed that will help put an end to antisocial drinking on Lambeth’s streets.

The whole of Lambeth will now be covered by a Controlled Drinking Zone (CDZ) order that gives the police increased powers to deal with people drinking in public places. Lambeth Labour councillors voted to bring in the new powers, aimed at tackling anti-social drinkers, and they will come into force on 1 December.

The new powers will not make it illegal for people to drink in public, and there have been assurances that people will still be able to enjoy a drink in the borough’s parks and public areas – if they act responsibly.

A number of smaller CDZ have been introduced in parts of the borough already and have proved popular with people living and working close to those areas. The zone allows the police to confiscate alcohol and move people on if they are behaving in an antisocial way. Police will monitor how frequently and where the powers are being used and officers will be able to issue a £50 fixed penalty if they believe someone is acting in an anti-social manner due to alcohol. People could also be handed a fine of up to £500 if they do not comply with an officer’s request to surrender alcohol when Lambeth becomes a CDZ.